(R-L) Dorothy Funk, Ruth EwertThe Mully Children's Family Mission Choir is appearing at the Glesby Centre Monday night in Portage la Prairie. The concert's free, with an offering that'll be taken up during the show.
Spokesperson Dorothy Funk says Charles Mully is a Kenyan who was abandoned as a child and eventually became a successful businessman, who started a charity.

Founder Charles Mully (photo courtesy of Mully Children's Family Mission)"The Mully Children's Family is an organization that was started in 1989 by Charles and Esther Mully. He had been an abandoned child at the age of six, and found himself alone without a family. He survived on the streets, and begged and had a life of extreme poverty. Through the help of some people that hired him as a teenager, he started working his way up making some money. Eventually he became an extremely successful business man. He had about five businesses, was a multi-millionaire, and married Esther. They had seven biological children."

Funk explains what inspired Mully to start the effort.

"One time he was driving his Mercedes, and needed it parked, and street kids were offering to park it for him for money. Basically he didn't give them enough money or didn't give them money, and when he came back his car was trashed. He started thinking more and more of the kids who were on the streets as he had been. And eventually just felt called by God to start rescuing children off of the street."

She outlines what you can expect Monday night.

Mully Children Family performing acrobatics (photo courtesy of Mully Children's Family Mission)"The concert at the Glesby Centre will have a choir. There are nine girls and nine boys ranging in age from 16 to 21 who are wonderful singers. They will do singing and African dance. There's an acrobatic team that does the most amazing acrobatics I have ever seen. We saw them when we were there. Beautiful. They will also do karate, showing the different things they have learned. They are karate champions in Kenya. Kids have come through their system and are now going to be a leading the Kenyans to the Olympics. There will also be stories from the children talking about their rescue story. And that's probably the part people will enjoy the most."

Funk says she was always drawn to Africa as a child, and when she traveled there to help one year, the Mully Children's Family Mission resonated her her heart. She adds the integrity behind the effort helped her realize such a group could use her support. Funk notes Kenya suffers drought and frequent government upheavals, and the kids aren't just looking for a handout, but some help in becoming self-sufficient.

The concert's free, and a free-will offering will be taken during the show. It all takes place Monday night at 7:30 p.m. You can check out their website here: mcfcanada.org